2009ApJ...695.1559D -
Astrophys. J., 695, 1559-1566 (2009/April-3)
2MASS/SDSS close major-merger galaxy pairs.
DOMINGUE D.L., XU C.K., JARRETT T.H. and CHENG Y.
Abstract (from CDS):
We select a close "major-merger candidate" galaxy pair sample in order to calculate the Ks luminosity function (LF) and pair fraction representative of the merger/interaction component of galaxy evolution in the local universe. The pair sample (projected separation 5 h.–1 kpc ≤ r≤ 20 h.–1 kpc, Ks-band magnitude difference ΔKs≤ 1 mag) is selected by combining the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 5 (DR5). The resulting data set contains 340 galaxies covering 5800 deg2. A stellar mass function is also translated from the LF. A differential pair fraction displays nearly constant fraction of galaxy pairs as a function of galaxy mass from 109 to 1011.5 M☉. The differential pair fraction is less subject to absolute magnitude bias due to survey limitations than the standard total pair fraction. These results suggest that major-merger candidate pairs in the 0<z<0.1 universe are developed from ∼1.6% of the galaxy population without dependence on galaxy mass for pair components below 1011 M☉. The derived LF combined with merger model timescales give local merger rates per unit volume which decrease with masses greater than 1011 M☉.
Abstract Copyright:
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Journal keyword(s):
galaxies: evolution - galaxies: interactions - galaxies: luminosity function, mass function - galaxies: spiral
Nomenclature:
Table 1: [DXJ2009] DDD.dddd+DD.dddd N=22.
Simbad objects:
26
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